Free Shipping Web Site Launched for Canadian Shoppers

Shopping U.S. web sites from Canada can be a real pain. Shipping costs and duty fees can increase the total purchase price anywhere from 25 to 50 percent.

To help reduce these costs, FreeShipping.org founder Luke Knowles launched FreeShipping.ca in early December. The site allows Canadians to shop from more than 200 online merchants that offer free-shipping. Visitors can easily search either by merchant brand or product category.

"Many online shoppers know what it's like to find a great deal and then discover an expensive shipping charge during checkout,” said Knowles. “Shopping online is more appealing and fun when you eliminate that extra fee.”

The site offers free-shipping coupons from such major merchants as American Eagle Outfitters, Best Buy and Home Depot, as well as Canadian companies like Amazon.ca and the Hudson's Bay Co. As on the U.S. site, which launched in Dec. 2007, Canadian shoppers can locate free-shipping codes on everything from clothing, furniture and sporting goods to computers, software and merchandise for children and babies.FreeShipping.ca also ensures shoppers north of the border can shop their favorite merchants, like Forzieri, Hatley and Black Label Boutique, free of shipping charges.

Knowles launched FreeShipping.ca both in response to requests from Canadian consumers and merchants as well as the massive response to its American counterpart. The U.S. site now counts more than 1,850 merchant participants.FreeShipping .org also instituted Free Shipping Day, celebrated this year on Dec. 17, when American merchants offer free shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve.

“People respond even more favorably to free shipping than to a discount coupon,” said Knowles. “We've found it's often cheaper to pay full-price for a purchase that includes free shipping, than for discounted items where the consumer pays shipping charges.”

Knowles believes the new site will be embraced by consumers and merchants in Canada, just as those in the U.S. have been drawn to FreeShipping.org.

“It's become a brilliant way for merchants to increase their sales while helping customers save money,” said Knowles. "It's a win/win situation."